Skellig Michael Island is Luke Skywalker’s Hideaway

Though set in a galaxy far, far away and long ago, the Star Wars: Saga found a new home just off the coast of Ireland which provides an ending for the movie shot on the dramatic Skellig Michael. It appears in the last three minutes of the movie, there’s not a word spoken but none are needed. Skellig Michael speaks for itself.

Access to the island is only possible by boat, and to reach this incredible monastery, you must crawl that winding path of stairs seen above. Once you get to the top, you can take in such sites as this one, of the monastery’s graveyard, still standing after some 1300 years or more. The film captures the rock in all its splendour, giving magnificent views of The Wailing Woman, Christ’s Saddle, and the monastery, as well as detailing the 100 stone steps built by monks on the hostile terrain that lies in splendid isolation more than 11km from the mainland in the Atlantic. Portmagee, a village on the mainland overlooking the island, became the “Star Wars” crew’s home base during filming. Mark Hamill was seen pulling pints at the local pub the Bridge. In the local shops you could buy t-shirts that read May the Craic Be With You or ones that depicted seagulls wearing Darth Vader masks.

Haven’t ventured there myself, YET. However, the Star Wars film crew and the locals in Kerry, Ireland have been said to be excited to get new visitors from all over the world. Drop me a line and maybe we can tour Luke Skywalker’s home together?